Hand rake



July 13, 1965 P. K. HEsTER 3,193,999

HAND RAKE Filed July 16, 1965 NQ! 44 56 o (f4 I 55 5%., "Il '5 lINVENTOR.

United States Patent O 33193399 HAND RAME Philip K. Hester, 70% SeahornSt., Gurdon, Arlt. Filed duly le, i963, Ser. No. 295,378 4 Claims. (Cl.'56-4tl.l5)

This invention relates to an improved construction for a rake, and moreparticularly, for an improved construction whereby a rake handle may beselectively adjusted relative to its rake head to accommodate operatorsof varying heights.

ln the operation of a self-cleaning rake which has tines having a curvedouter periphery, it is desirable to move the rake along the groundwithout lifting the rake. In the operation of such a rake, the rake headrides on the curved portion or" the tines and the inside portion of 'thehead collects matter to be raked. Inasmuch as the rake continually restson the ground, it is apparent that a person operating the rake moves therake back and forth by swinging the arm. This means 'that the head ofthe rake periodically tilts with each movement of the arm. The tineshave points on one end in order to separate grass or other material andcollect material on the inside Vof the rake. lt is readily apparent thatif the points of the ines are too low, the rake head will be tilteddownward so that the points of the tines become imbedded in the ground,thus tearing up the ground and doing an inetiicient job of collectingmaterial. On the other hand, if the points are too high, the tincs willnot collect material, but rather the rake will ride over the material tobe raked. It is, therefore, important to keep the points of 'the tinesat a proper attitude relative to the ground.

Ordinarily, a self-cleaning rake is used by people of varying heights.Normally, people hold the rake near the end of the handle so that theangle of the handle and, thus, the position of the points of the tinesrelative to the ground is determined by the height of the person usingthe rake. lt is, therefore, apparent that if the handle is fixedrelative to the tines, when a tall person operates the rake, the pointsof the tines are too high oir ofthe ground, thereby allowing the rake toride over materials to be collected. On the other hand, if a shortperson uses the iixed rake, the tines are too close to the ground andmay become imbedded in the ground during a portion of the rakingoperation. It is, therefore, readily apparent that it is ydesirable toprovide a self-cleeaning rake which has a handle which may have itsangle relative to the rake head adjusted so that irrespective of whethera tall person or a short person uses the rake the head of the rake maybe properly adjusted relative to the handle to position the points ofthe tincs at a proper height relative to the H ground.

it is another object ofthe present invention to provide a rakeconstruction in which the handle of the rake may be adjusted relative toa self-cleaning rake head in order to position the handle in a properattitude relative to the tines of the rake so that the rake may be usedas a conventional rake.

it is a further object of the instant invention to provide a rakeconstruction which has an adjustable rake handle relative to the rakehead and which adjustment may be simply and effectively made.

It is a s-till further object of the herein disclosed invention toprovide a rake construction in which the handle is adjustable relativeto the rake head and the rake is economical to manufacture.

Gther object-s and uses of this invention will become readily apparentto those skilled in the art upon a perusal of the following specicationin light of the accompanying drawing in which:

FGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a selflgli@ Patented July13, i955 ice cleaning rake embodying the herein disclosed invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FGURE 3 is a partial cross-sectional view takenon line 3--3 of FIGURE 2and showing a second position of the rake handle in dotted form; and

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the rake shown in FlGURE 1shown in an attitude wherein the rake is used as a conventional rake.

Referring now to the drawing, especially to FIGURE 1, it may be seenthat a rake embodying the herein disclosed invention and indicated bynumeral lil, generally consists of a rake head l2, a connecting assembly14 attached to the rake head, and a handle 16 fixed to the connectingassembly.

The rake head 12 includes a shaft 18 which, in this instance, has arectangular cross-section. The ends of the shaft are threaded to receivea nut 2li on each end of the shaft. A plurality of tincs 22 arenon-rotatably mounted on the shaft and held therein by the nuts 26. Eachof the tines is identical in construction to each of lthe other tincs.

Each tine 22 has a rectangular aperture 24 in its body portion whichaperture matably receives the shaft so that the shaft connects thetines. A portion of the outer periphery of each of the tines is acurvedouter edge 26 which is a portion of a circle. The outer edge orlower edge of the tine is completed by a straight edge 2S and a secondstraight edge 3l?. The inner edge or upper edge of each of the tinesincludes an inner straight edge 32 which intersects the second straightedge 30 to form a point 33. The remainder or" the inner portion of eachof the tines is formed as a portion of an arc 34 which intersects thecurved outer portion 26 to form a point 36.

Positioned between the adjacent tincs is a pair of spacers 3S in yorderto keep the tines an appropriate distance apart since the tines areslideable on the shaft. The tines and spacers are all slideably mountedon the shaft 13 and are held in position by the nuts 2li.

The connecting assembly 14 is attached to the shaft 18. The connectingassembly includes a pair of identical adjustment plates d0. Each ofthe'adjustment plates di) has an up-standing portion 42 with arectangular hole contained therein and matably receives the shaft 1S.Formed integral with the tip-standing portion 42 is a quadrant section44. The quadrant section includes a curved slot 45 which is a portionofv a circle which has its center at the center of the rectangular hole.

A connecting bracket or brace 4S is positioned adjacent to each of theadjustment plates. Each brace 43 has a spacer portion Sti which containsa circular hole therein for rotatably receiving the shaft l. Formedintegral with the spacer portion Si) is a bolt mounting section 52 whichis substantially parallel to the quadrant section 44 of the adjustmentplate 42. Formed integral with the bolt mounting section is a curvedhandle gripping portion 54 for receiving the handle 16 between thehandle gripping portions. Each of the bolt mounting sections 52 containsa hole 56 therein and a bolt 58 is positioned in the hole 56 and extendsthrough the slot 46. A wing nut 60 is threadedly mounted on the bolt 53to hold the adjustment section 40 in frictional engagement with the boltsection 52 and thereby provide a means for securing the brace to itsrespective adjustment plate.

The handle 16 is attached to the connecting bracket 14 by a pair ofbolts 62 which extend through holes in the gripper portions and throughholes in the handle 16. The bolts 62 are held in place by nuts 64 tosecurely x the handle between the gripper portions 54.

In the operation of the self-cleaning rake, it is desirable for thecurved outer edge 26 of the tincs to rest on the 3 surface to be rakedin an attitude substantially as shown in `FIGURE 3. The rake is used bysliding the rake forward so that the curved tines ride over any materialto be raked. The rake is then`pulled back, and the points 36 :of thetines move 'between the surface of :the ground and any material that isto 'be raked. "The material which is collected on the rake reposes onthe curved inner surface 34 of thetines. When the rake is brought to theend of its stroke and .is moved forward again, the material on thecurved upper surface falls oifandis depositedin fa rearward location.VItma'y be :readily Vappreciatedthat rclosely approximate saidcross-section of .said shaft, said the .rake is never lifted Io'i theground during its normal operation. Thus, the .rake is easier tousesince it yis a simple gliding action fthat occurs rather Athan `aAperiodic Iliftingand pulling. Furthermore, the rake does not `dig Yinto theground which is not desirable in many instances. YFrom 'theforegoing description ofthe operation ofthe l rake, vit may beappreciated that itis desirable to maintain the head lof the rake at aprescribed attitude relative to the ground. Unfortunately, people whooperate the frake are' of varying heights. Thus,` a very tall man wouldhold the points .36 too high so that many materials would be missedlwhereas a short man would-have a tendency fto tilt the 'headtoo much sothat the points S6-,would dig into'the ground, `and thus theeffectiveness of the rake is destroyed. The handle of the instantrake-maybe adjusted relative to thera'kefhead so that the rake maybereadily adapted'for persons of varying heights.v As may 'be seen inFIGURE 3,V with fthe rake handle positioned so that'the bolts '58 areabout inthe middle of the slot V'4.6, the handle extends*l substantiallyupward so that a tall person holding Vthe rake holdsthe pointse abovethe ground. On the other hand, should a short person hold shaft passingthrough each of said :apertures in said tines to non-rotatablyvmountsaid tinesonl said shaft; at least one adjustment plate having aVnon-circular aperture who'se conguration and dimensions closelyapproximate said cross-section of said shaft, said shaft passing throughsaid non-circular aperture in said adjustment plate to non-rotatably-mount Vit on said shaft between a pair of `Said tines; at least V oneconnecting bracket having a circular aperture, the diameter of whichclosely approximates-the'largest dimension-of Said shaft, said shaftpassing through said Yaperturefof said connecting bracket to rotatablymount` it von vsaid `shaft closely adjacent Asaid adjustment plate;rmeans for releasably securing said connecting bracket to saidadjustment plate in a plurality of selected positions; and a handlehaving one end xed "to .said connecting bracket.

VZ. A self-cleaning rake as claimed in claim 1 in which there is a pairof adjustment plates and a pair of con necting brackets, adjacentadjustment. plates and connectingbrackets being 'spaced along saidshaft.

the handle, thevhandle may be tilted downward so'that 6 the bolts areatfthe end of thelslot 46 in the attitude shown in phantom :viewinFIGURE 3,-thus, ashort'personrmay Yhandlefthe rake and -still keep thepoints 36 at the same relative distance 'from the ground.

It may be appreciated thatin order to tilt the rake handle relative tothe rakehead, thewing nuts 60 are adjustment plate '40 to Vassume theproper angle -o'f' the loosened so that the brackets 48 may sliderelative ytothe handle relative to the rake vhead. S'Once the lproperdisciated that Vthose skilled in the art Vmayimake various modificationsvand changesin aiself-cleaningjrake without 3. A self-cleaningrake asclaimed in claim 2 in which there'are a vplurality of spacers mounted onsaid; shaft to evenly space adjacent tines from each other.

4. A self-cleaning rake as claimed in claim 3 in which -each of :saidadjustment plates has an elongated arcuate slot whichis part of a circlehaving the axis of said shaft as its center and each of saidyconnecting-brackets is provided with a threaded member passing throughsaid slot whereby said connecting brackets may be secured to saidadjustment plates in a plurality of Vselected positions by screwing home`a 1nut member on said threaded member.

l References Cited by. the Examiner Y UNITED STATES lPATENTS 334,444.1/s6 Lander 30e-15 719,723 2/.03 'Beebe 306-110 x 1,452,984 4/23Richards p ,306-11 1,894,306 1/33' Eifert 564400.16

VFOREIGN PATENTS V26,562 l1/.05 VGreat Britain.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, PrfmairyExammer. RUSSEL-Ln. :K1NSEY, T. GRAHAM CRAVER,Examiners.

1. A SELF-CLEANING RAKE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED SHAFTOF NON-CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION; A PLURALITY OF TINES EACH HAVING A CURVEDOUTER EDGE AND A NONCIRCULAR APERTURE WHOSE CONFIGURATION AND DIMENSIONSCLOSELY APPROXIMATE SAID CROSS-SECTION OF SAID SHAFT, SAID SHAFT PASSINGTHROUGH EACH OF SAID APERTURES IN SAID TINES TO NON-ROTATABLY MOUNT SAIDTINES ON SAID SHAFT; AT LEAST ONE ADJUSTMENT PLATE HAVING A NON-CIRCULARAPERTURE WHOSE CONFIGURATION AND DIMENSIONS CLOSELY APPROXIMATE SAIDCROSS-SECTION OF SAID SHAFT, SAID SHAFT PASSING THROUGH SAIDNON-CIRCULAR APERTURE IN SAID ADJUSTMENT PLATE TO NON-ROTATABLY MOUNT ITON SAID SHAFT BETWEEN A PAIR OF SAID TINES; AT LEAST ONE CONNECTINGBRACKET HAVING A CIRCULAR APERTURE, THE DIAMETER OF WHICH CLOSELYAPPROXIMATES THE LARGEST DIMENSION OF SAID SHAFT, SAID SHAFT PASSINGTHROUGH SAID APERTURE OF SAID CONNECTING BRACKET TO ROTATABLY MOUNT ITON SAID SHAFT CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID ADJUSTMENT PLATE; MEANS FORRELEASABLY SECURING SAID CONNECTING BRACKET TO SAID ADJUSTMENT PLATE INA PLURALITY OF SELECTED POSITIONS; AND A HANDLE HAVING ONE END FIXED TOSAID CONNECTING BRACKET.